Divine Encounter

He sits on the steps leading out of the subway.  He wears no shoes and his shirt is pinned together with safety pins.  His face is caked with dirt.  “Please, please,” he says, to no one in particular.  Something about this man makes me want to stop.  I do.  I look at him and he looks at me.  “Please, please,” he continues to say, but this time he sats it to me.  I reach into my purse for some money.  He reaches out to me and hands ME a dollar bill.  “Please, please, will you go over to Burger King and get me a burger.”  It doesn’t take much to figure out why he can’t go get his own burger.  “They won’t let me in because they say that I stink and I don’t have any shoes.”

I give him back his dollar bill and tell him I’ll go get him a burger.  It’s on me.  (In hindsight, I wish I had taken his dollar.  Not because I needed it, but because this was his way of contributing, of maintaining some shred of dignity.)  As I am walking away, he continues to say “Please, please.”  I know he is afraid I will not return.

The line at Burger King is long.  The service is terrible.  The cashiers and cooks are inefficient, spending more time chatting it up with each other than cooking.  Frustration grows inside of me.  It’s at this point that I know.  I know what God is showing me.  He’s showing me that serving people takes more than money.  It takes time.  How easy it would have been to give him some money and move on?  God was asking for my time. 

I wait for about 15 minutes for his burger.  I return to him.  “Thank you, thank you.  I was afraid you wouldn’t come back.”  I tell him that God has used him to teach me a very important lesson.  He is unable to fully engage me in conversation, and I move on.

I walk away, awestruck and thankful.

The Wall

This week I hit an emotional wall.  I think I was in good company.

Kids’ Day in the Park

This week began our church’s Kids’ Day in the Park event.  They are conducting it every Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday for four weeks, with each day at a different park.  I am loving it!  It’s so much fun to play with the kids and get to know their parents!

Blowing some seriously awesome “fish bubbles”.  PS–The theme is “Fish Tales”.

The kids got to make fish ornaments. 

This woman is from El Salvador. She is one of the few “non-Dominican” people I have met in this area.

The kids got to hear a story from the uber-talented Rachael (a member of Uptown Church). She’s such a good storyteller, I found myself getting really into it!

Washington Heights

I am loving the neighborhood/church I have been assigned to minister in.  It is about 4 subway stops from my house (convenient) AND it is about 90% Dominican (right-up-my-alley).  We are part of a church plant that is a grand-daughter of Redeemer Presbyterian Church.  Redeemer planted Emmanuel Presbyterian Church.  Emmanuel planted Uptown Church.  Thus, the grand-daughter metaphor.  This church has a strong desire to reach out to the Dominican population that surrounds it.  So, we are helping them put on a “Kids’ Day in the Park” event.  This will be every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this month, with each day devoted to a different park.  I am so excited about this.  Again, right up my alley.  Here are some pictures of some precious little faces I have met.

Cutie-pa-too-tie!

This little one was a "princess", who couldn't wake from her slumber until someone brought her crown. Fortunately, she woke briefly for a photo.

I am definitely taller than you, so don't even try. (This is literally what she was saying)

New York so far…

So far I’m loving my summer stint in New York City.  I love the hustle and bustle.  I love the different cultures that I see everywhere.  Here are some of the pictures I have taken so far.

This is the nearest subway stop from my apartment.  (the 1 train for those of you who are familiar with New York)  I live in Morningside Heights (or you could call it Harlem).  I love my little neighborhood.

Two precious boys.  I just HAD to ask their Mom if I could take their picture.  By the way, I have found New Yorkers to be very friendly.  Seriously.  (Unless you run over their foot in the grocery store and it happens to be a grumpy old man.)

Here I am with Madison Pettengill. She is the daughter of the leaders of Team Honduras!  She is here as an intern.  It has been so fun to see her and to get to spend time with her!

If you hang out in Central Park long enough, you might just see the Dalai Lama.  Just sayin…

Here we are worshiping at the church that I have been assigned.  It is located in Washington Heights, which is about 80-90% Dominican.  You KNOW I love that!  Me and 8 others will be worshiping here, conducting an outreach to the community, helping out with set-up and take-down, etc.

This is Catherine.  She is the daughter of one of our missionaries to Cambodia.  This precious couple (the wife is sick at home, so I haven’t gotten to meet her) has a total of 15 children!  They have (I think) three biological children, and then they have adopted the rest.  I love this family!

And here I am with my roommate, Kathy (far right) and a friend, Lisa (middle).  We decided to take a jaunt to Times Square and had a grand ole’ time! 

And lastly, I had to post this BEAUTIFUL picture of little Valerie, whose parents have become good friends.  They are headed to Monterrey, Mexico.  (PS–This picture was taken at about 10:00 at night.  She was a trooper!)